Protective envelope



May 16, 1950 F. R. KRUEGER PROTECTIVE ENVELOPE Filed Jan. e, 1948 LK gli f /O/ence f? /l/raegef- INVENTOR.

BY s 90h17 Patented May 16, 195o f a 2,508,274

.'PROTECTIVE ENVEILOPE "Jilo'renceiltY Krueger; -Santurcea P.,R.

Application. J anuary 6,`1948,"Serial No.' '679 "#19 4(Jlaims. (Cl. 2-268) This invention` elates'to protective envelopes which the v'-i'nveriitionis ttoy: no means limitedz-is "f or"cushioningtpads,"andmore:particularly to *illustrated l@-in the accompanying L.-tlrawing, :ein

easily 'disengageable A"protective "envelopes 'for which: .A cushioning pads secured vSto wearing' apparel. Figure 1 isaA planJview -of= 1afproteotive` envelope e `Various,types"of."cushioningpads'are usedtin .5 enclosing-ashoulder'-padvwhiclnislattached tothe J garmentsffor exam-ple, shoulder pads in' ladies inside face ofL the-shoulder portion of a garment;

v'wearing apparel, as Wellas shoulderghipfand Fig-ure 2l-is-va..crossfsection taken ontheiline kneeppads in (sporting goods,A and 'shoulder 'pads 42-2 of-Figure 1;

inmenswearing apparel. "Itis'conimonpractice V1ig-1:lre3-is--a plan view-foffthe `L-u-pperforvygarto sew, or otherwise, permanently zattach, certain i0 ment-engaging, A"face fof the envelope showing "typesficushioning'j pads into. apparel; but these the 'sl-it Vvor slot' i-nj the faeef of "'the-envelope--and Apads;A being of relatively thickarid. porousmatepartlyrevealing the inner pad; the 4fabric tovvhich lril, aresubjecttoiaccumulations of "dirt, dust Athe *pad is` attached "havinglbeenfrernovedfor and perspiration, andfdry veryfslowlygvvhen laun- "purpose ofillustration;

ldered. 1V arious prtectiveicovers oren'velopes'for .l5 'Figure-'f'is' 4a crossesectionalviewsshow'ing-an such` padshave 'previously been suggested for early -steplin the mattach-ment ofvthe envelope-1 to vpermanent,atta'c'zhment tosthegarmentbutwhen "thef'pad; e

lthef garment-was to be'laudeied; the protective Figuref 5"iis a' crossesectionalvview;'similareto covers, ,either Avvithor without..theshoulderspad, Figurelfbutshowingalater step-fin the attach- `requird cuttingawayffromV thegarmentgwith the 2o"mento the envelope to the pam-and ,.sulosequent attendant necessity.. f.. restitching or vFigure 6 "is" vaH vien/, partly"i-n-l cross-section,-fof

resev'ving .fthe .coverfy for "fthe Ypad. back into .the "theshoulder portion' f the fgarmentf-'the Hpad,

.-yShOl'ldeI'fDOitiOn 0f the garmelt. andthepa'd envelope situatedon thejshou'lelerof "ISne .present invention .i provides approtective the'wearer.

envelopelfonvapad Whichis normally. securedto 25 .Referring Ato Figures 1 and 2, a'sheetofffflexible .sheetmateriaL suohasafgarmentr and which Ymateria1-lfforexarnple;thetextile-fabriceof a affords.;` protectomto .the.,.cushoning. pad which garment at the shoulder portion, i Vis 'shown l in ,is..usua`l1y. made of .absorbentmaterial "The en- "Figure lat'its underface. Afpadf'z1 is-securedyas .vlope'is secured.tolthefgarmentpad.withoutfthe 'by'stitching,"at'i3,-atone or moreepointsealong necessity. f sewing. or stitching, and Withoutaux- 1 a'line"extending transverse of L the-paidJ toi the iliary'fasteningfmeans .Accordingto.fthe,.inven garment/fabric.` They pad mavebeoflanvsuitable tion, the cover or protective yenv`e1opemaybe construction,or-examplewsillustratedatlllhav- `'read-ily. removed 4from the., pad.fvv'ithout` removing hina-loose: @ottone-battingorsotheriJbrouswzmass, Lfthepad fromltheg-arment, solthat tl'iepadmay be whichispreferably encloseclby` aifabricecoverii. laundered .together Wi-th lthe. garment, yand `rthe 35 Ifsdesiredfthefmass ofeberstcomprisingntheepad laundering fluid may'readilyv enter all partsof the .'.AL-,maysbe Larcompactedamassewhiohe retainsrits interior of .the tcushoningfpad. E'Iheenvelope @desired shape.-.withouttheacover 5. Thefpadzmam A.malyfthenl be.-reattached.and .securely held Ato fof.` course-be madeainanvfoi a. number otyways, ...envelop the 4pad `Withoutstitching or sewing. as bysuperimposingseverallayers-Vofe-fabriolcut- 'Thepresent invention'. is;particularly..useful`r as., 40 tingthemtoethedesired shape ,and-securingthem v.aprotective envelope. forfshoulderpads commonly Ain anydesired manner, as by sewing,.. adhering, secured to ladies garments, :.,su'ch as -.blouses, or'other methods familiar. tot/hose skilledinthe Idresses,.,and theilike;butitisalsoapplicable with art. 'Ihe .fastening or ,fasteningsif Lin.' their equal effectiveness4 to otherltypes,of.cushioning simplest form, `comprise one or more stitches .fpadssuchas sporting. goodsand men's gar-.45 alongr aline, transverse of the padzf'thereby ments. AOne. of thev objects of ftheinvention. is .to "leaving'the'ends' 6 andl of theepadloose and-unreducelthe frequent.,necessityfor.' launderingor attached^With respect-to the garment vportionvl. A'cleaning shoulder pads, `and when' the envelope "Otherifastening or'atta'ching-meansmayebe conofftheinventions.made of..moisture-and dustvenientlyv-usedfsuch as rivets,rsnapf'fasteners, ..i1nperviousmaterial;.theqopportunities.for soiling. tmeandlother attaching elements known-in Ithe tex- 'rfthefpad are greatly.-reduced,withwconsequent ftile-andrclothinearts. fThedine alongswhich the :reduction.indrequency` andwcost oflaundering Hfastenings' 3.are= madefsmay befeither al'straight "tandupkeep `-of .ftheegarment fto.thel..-0Wner": or #or 4curvedfline,.butitfispreferable:that it;:be'in etwearer. f e `i-terxnedia-te the .ends ofty thepad zinzorderrtoeper- .Aapracticalaembodimenti ofe-:thealinventionsiaoe 55:,rmitithelpadetotbefoldedaastshownimiFig. Anto Yeach other.

accommodate the envelope. The fastening line may be diagonal, or longitudinally transverse, if desired, instead of laterally transverse as shown in Figures 1 and 3. 'Iihe general contour of the pad may be of any desired shape to afford practical or ornamental cushioning of the garment, and is illustrated in the drawing, for the sake of convenience, as having a generally triangular contour having at least one of the sides somewhat curved.. The shape may, of course, be circular, ovate, semicircular, rectangular, or otherwise. The thickness of the pad is preferably greatest at the centel1 portion and is reduced progressively toward the edges, or it may be uniform in whole or in part, or it may be thicker at an edge or edges. The edges of the pad are of curved contour, as shown at 6 and 'I, although they may be otherwise shaped, and the corners may be either angular or curved.

The envelope I I generally conforms to the contour of the pad.2. 'Ihe obverse face of the envelope which is away from the garment I, and hence normally adjacent the skin of the wearer, preferably comprises a solid uninterrupted surface, although Y perforations or other ventilating means may be provided, if desired. The reversev face of the envelope is provided with an opening, preferably a slit or slot I2 which has opposed edges I3 and I4. The edges I3 and I4, in the normal position, when the envelope is flat and before attachment to the pad, may ibe contiguous to each other to form a normally closed slit or slot, or they may be separated to provide an open slot. The outer edges of the envelope are normally closed to join the obverse and reverse faces in the shape of an envelope, and the envelope is preferably slightly larger than the pad 2. The length of the slit or slot I2 is preferably sufficient to accommodate the width of that portion of the pad 2 which it traverses, in order to provide for easy application of the envelope to the pad. The location of the slot I2 is selected to conform to the line along which the fastening or fastenings 3 of the pad to the garment occur.

In applying the envelope II to the pad 2, the pad is folded along the line containing the fastening 3, so that the ends 6 and 'I of the 'pad are brought together in contact or proximity with The envelope II is similarly folded along the line of the slot I2, thereby opening the slot on the convex side of the bend and providing an initial receptacle for passage of the contiguous ends 6 and 'I of the pad. After the ends of the pad have entered the opening I2, they are separated so that one end tends to travel along the channel or pocket provided by one side of the envelope, and the other end travels along the other side pocket of the envelope provided by the .bend in the envelope, as shown in Figure 4. When the envelope is fitted over the pad to the position shown in Figure the combination of the pad and envelope is ready for Wear, and the final position of the pad on the shoulder is shown in Figure 6. The edges I3 and Ill of the envelope surrounding the pad are in close proximity with each `other when the envelope is in use, as shown in Figure 6, with the result that almost the entire area of the surface of the pad is encased Within the envelope, the only exception being a small slit or slot I2 which accommodates the fastenings 3 connecting the garment I and the pad 2. The

4 the skin of the wearer, and hence perspiration cannot contact or enter the shoulder pad.

It is preferable that the envelope be made of moisture-proof material, such as rubber or thin, flexible material, and for ornamental reasons it is often desirable that the material of the envelope be transparent nor translucent. The envelope may be readily removed or replaced at any time, suitable to the convenience of the wearer.

Although the invention has been illustrated Y and described with respect to a shoulder pad for said pad and havingA a slot disposed on one face of said envelope corresponding to the width of said pad except along said slot, said envelope enclosing said pad, and said fastening extending through said slot.

2. In combination, a garment, a cushioning pad, and an envelope for said pad, said pad being secured by a fastening along a transverse line on one of the faces thereof to said garment and having unattached portions extending from either side of said line, said envelope conforming generally to the contour of said pad and having a slot disposed on one face of said envelope corresponding to the width of said pad except along said slot, said envelope enclosing said pad,

and said fastening extending through said slot.

3. In combination, a garment having a shoulder portion, a shoulder pad, and an envelope for said pad, said pad being secured by a fastening along a transverse line on one of the faces thereof to said shoulder portion and having unattached portions extending from either side of said line, said envelope conforming generally to the contour of said pad and having a slot disposed on one face of said envelope corresponding to the width of said pad, said envelope enclosing said pad except along said slot, and said fastening extending through said slot.

4. In combination, a sheet of flexible material, a flexible cushioning pad, and a exible envelope for said pad, said pad being secured by a fastening along a transverse line on one of the faces thereof to said sheet and having unattached portions extending from either side of said line, said envelope conforming generally to the contour of said pad and having a slot disposed on one face of said envelope corresponding to the width of said pad, said envelope enclosing said pad except along said slot, and said fastening extending through said slot.

5. In combination, a sheet of flexible material, a flexible cushioning pad, and a flexible envelope for said pad, said pad being secured by a fastening along a transverse line on one of the faces thereof to said sheet and having unattached portions extending from either side of said line, said envelope conforming generally to the contour of saidpad and having a slot disposed on one face of said envelope corresponding to the width of said pad, said envelope enclosing said pad except pad is thus entirely protected from contact with Il along said slot. said fastening extending through said slot, and said pad being adapted for bringing the unattached portions thereof together to pass through said slot in the envelope.

6. In combination, a garment, a cushioning pad, and an envelope for said pad, said pad being secured by a fastening along a transverse line on one of the faces thereof to said garment and having unattached portions extending from either side of said line, said envelope conforming generally to the contour of said pad and having a slot disposed on one face of said envelope corresponding to the Width of said pad except along said slot, said envelope enclosing said pad, said fastening extending through said slot, and said pad being adapted for bringing the unattached portions thereof together to pass through said slot in the envelope.

7. In combination, a garment having a shoulder portion, a cushioning shoulder pad, and an envelope for said pad, said pad being secured by a fastening along a transverse line on one of the faces thereof to said shoulder portion and having unattached portions extending from either side of said line, said envelope conforming generally to the contour of said pad and having an opening disposed on one face of said envelope corresponding to the width of said pad, said envelope enclosing said pad except along said opening, said fastening extending through said opening and said pad being adapted for bringing the unattached portions thereof together to pass through said opening in the envelope.

8. A protective envelope, for a garment pad centrally attachable to a garment, comprising thin flexible material having the general contour of the pad to be protected and having a slot extending transversely across one face, said slot being adapted to accommodate entry of unattached portions of the pad, and means for holding said envelope in place around said pad which means comprise the envelopment of said pad by said envelope.

9. A protective envelope, for a garment pad centrally attachable to a garment, comprising thin flexible material having the general contour of the pad to be protected and having a slot extending transversely across one face, said slot being adapted to accommodate entry of the unattached portions of the pad when said envelope is folded, and said slot in the normally unfolded position remaining open for the accommodation of means for attaching the pad to the garment.

FLORENCE R. KRUEGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,365,280 Lahm Dec. 19, 1944 2,423,498 I-Iull July 8, 1947 2,441,910 Serbin May 18, 1948 

